Every New Day
by ZoieLark
Summary: Faye. She is sitting in a bar no suprise there, right. But who sits next to her? finished
1. Olde Days

Don't Own Cowboy Bebop

=Olden Days=

"Why can't things go back to the way they use to be?" 

Faye Valentine sat on a bar stool in the dimly lit bar. She took another sip from her drink and set it down. 

The man who sat next to her, nodded.

"I mean, it use to be happier times before, you know?"

"Yea."

Faye stared into her drink. The brown liquor lapped against the glass. She sighed; the hiss of air was audible in the quiet bar.

"Like in the olden days, when we were young. We'd imagine ourselves as pirates or whatever."

She took another sip. She wasn't drunk yet, although she wanted to be.

"I remember my friends and I would take up sticks and pretend we were sword fighters…or that other time when we played in the jungle gym…"

When had her memory come back…? She took another sip. _Before the bastard left me…_ _He_ had noticed it too. She had known. Right when she came out of that shower that one day, he had known something was different. Now, he was gone.

__

Damn it!!! I can't even think straight!

"Do you know what I mean?" Faye continued. 

She tried to take another sip, but realized her glass was empty. It was enough. She promised Jet she'd be back before midnight. It was only… she squinted at the dilapidated clock behind the counter…1:45 a.m. 

"Crap, I've gotta go." Faye stumbled out of her chair and glanced up. "I'm suppose to be 

somewhe--"

She lost her voice when her eyes met those cold dead eyes…

The cold dead eyes…

…of Vicious.

=End Chapter=


	2. Third World Think Tank

I don't own Cowboy Bebop.

=Third World Think Tank=

The hiss of rain was what woke her up.

Indescribable pain flared in her head and she bit her lip to keep from crying out loud. Her body, she could feel each bruise and each cut.

__

What a way to wake up, she thought sarcastically. 

She tried to move, but felt that her wrists and ankles were bound by rope. She opened an eye, and realized that she was in a dark abandoned room sitting on a chair. There was no light, no sound, just useless space…it reminded her of…herself.

__

What the hell happened? It was hard to think of anything. She forced her mind to remember, forced it to recall what she was too afraid to bring to mind. She was drinking. A man in a bar. Vicious. He had attacked her, and now she was here.

She shivered involuntarily.

"You're awake."

She heard Vicious' voice. He was close by, almost next to her. 

She turned slightly and saw him. He was sitting at the corner of the room, half hidden in the darkness. He wasn't looking at her, but he was polishing his katana. He seemed to be busy at taking off a smudge that wasn't really there.

"What the hell do you want with me?" Faye muttered. She tasted blood at the corner of her lip as she talked.

"I don't want you," was his simple reply.

Faye took in his nonchalant voice and cursed. "Could've fooled me."

Vicious stood, and stalked closer to her. Faye tried to squirm away, but found it was impossible. His hand darted toward her and he grabbed a fistful of her hair. He pulled until she looked up into the vortex of his eyes.

She could feel his blade slither against her throat, then cascade down to her leg. The cold blade slid and she felt new pain bloom near her knee. She kept herself from recoiling only by sheer will. 

Rain pounded against the roof of the building, while Vicious stared at her.

Seconds, minutes, hours past….She didn't know…she was too scared to think. 

Finally, he released her, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face. "You're bait." He moved away from her and walked toward the door.

Finding her voice, Faye yelled, "For who?"

"Who else?"

__

Who else? Spike? Faye bit her lip. _But--he's--_

"Spike's dead!" She could taste the bitterness in her words…She was still angry at Spike…

Vicious turned around, his hand twisting the doorknob. 

The rain became intense, making it difficult for her to think.. Faye looked at her bound hands and shut her eyes. _Please don't say what I think you're going to say…_

Vicious turned back toward the door. 

"No, he isn't." 

=End Chapter=


	3. Suckerpunch

I don't own Cowboy Bebop

=Suckerpunch=

Jet walked back and forth in the dark hallway, glancing every now and then into her room. 

She was late.

Again.

It wasn't as if he expected her to tell him that she'd be out till the wee hours of the morning. It wasn't as if he paced around the ship worrying about her…

He stopped in mid-step and looked at his feet. He _was_ pacing…like a _worried _parent. He smirked slightly. He felt like a father, worrying about his little Faye and wondering where she had ended up. "Most likely a bar…" he whispered in a hoarse voice. 

Jet sighed and listened to that hiss of air echo throughout the empty ship. Deciding that he was wasting his life doing nothing, he traveled to his small workroom where all the bonsai trees lay. He picked up a small pair of scissors and began the tedious task.

=======

She didn't know what time it was any longer--and she was starting to care less. Bitter thoughts were already filling her mind.

Spike's still alive, and he never came back to see me…and Jet… _Why?_

She thought she was passed the pain. Passed missing him. 

It was supposed to be a new day. A new life. She was supposed to be the new Faye. Not the old, weak one who couldn't stop the one person she wanted most in her life, from leaving her. 

But…

I'm not past the pain. 

She bit the bottom of her lip until she tasted blood. 

I've always missed him…

She felt as if she'd been punched. It was one of the worst feelings in the world and she hated it.

The door burst open, distracting her momentarily. Her eyes adjusted to the new light that crept through the door as a tall figure appeared. He walked in carrying something…a small video recorder? She couldn't tell. She was too tired…too sore…

Vicious set the camera in front of her.

He moved toward Faye and knelt beside her. His smile was cold and didn't reach his eyes. 

=======

(Hours Later)

He was about to clip a twig. Right when the edges of the blade came to rest on the base of the stick, he heard a fuzzy sound from the "living" room. 

"I don't remember leaving the TV on," Jet said. 

He left the bonsai trees and went to the television.

The image was bleary, but he could tell who the figure was. Tall and curvaceous, wearing a red jacket, sleeveless yellow shirt and matching shorts. Faye Valentine. Blood gushed from the top of her leg and corner of her lip. She looked like crap…there was no better term for it.

Bruises were all over her body, the blue and purple marks were evidence of a fight…

And next to her was a man who he thought had been dead. He was crouched on the ground, and staring into the screen.

"I know you're there…and I know you don't want her dead." The seen on the screen flickered momentarily as static began to distort the picture of Faye.

Immediately, Jet slammed his fist against the side of the TV. The picture cleared instantly. Briefly, the thought of an old friend doing the same thing to a beta player flickered in his mind. Jet dismissed the thought instantly and knelt toward the screen. It was a new day. He shouldn't fall back into the past.

"You know where to meet me," came Vicious' last words before the screen went dead.

Jet was silent for a moment. He let the information seep through his pores and into his heart. He felt as if this message wasn't directed at him, but who else would Vicious be talking to in this place?

"Where the hell are you, you bastard!" Jet hissed at the television.

"He's in Mars."

For a moment, Jet Black couldn't move. _That voice… _He turned around. It seemed so nostalgic…so familiar. He nearly gasped when he met the mismatched eyes of an old comrade.

"S…Spike?"

=End Chapter=

By the way, the titles _Every New Day, Suckerpunch, and Third World Think Tank_ are all song titles from the band FIVE IRON FRENZY. I don't own them either.


	4. Faking Life

I don't own Cowboy Bebop 

=Faking Life=

"Bang."

It was over. He was dead, and he no longer had to worry about anyone or anything. 

It was done. He could finally leave the pain behind.

He smiled slightly as he fell into the darkness.

===

"That's the last thing I remember," Spike said as he shoveled more food into his mouth. 

Jet just stood back and watched his old comrade. "And now you're here? Seriously, Spike, how come you're alive?"

Spike stopped eating and stood. He walked up to Jet and stared into his eyes. "That…I don't really know." 

It was a lie, and Jet could see it. However, the older man didn't say anything. "Just eat the rest and get some sleep. We won't be near Mars until tomorrow morning…three days is the latest."

Jet wanted to say more--he hadn't seen his best friend for the longest time--but right now, he was worried about Faye. Spike was not in the realms of danger like Faye was. Faye. Spike would have to wait.

Spike nodded slightly and backed away. "I'll turn out the lights when I'm done."

Jet didn't argue. Instead, he disappeared somewhere, to think and worry. This was going to be a long night.

===

There was a soft humming at the periphery of his hearing. Faye. She was sitting somewhere near him playing with a deck of cards.

He shook off his weariness and tried to look at her. Bandages made it hard for him to move, but that didn't stop him. 

She had said something then. Her voice, silky and beautiful, made him wince. He liked listening to it, wouldn't admit it, but liked it…a little.

"Tone deaf," he had muttered…

That was his first memory when he had woken from the fight with Vicious. He had half expected to see Faye standing before him, ready to curse him out for doing something completely stupid. He had half expected to see Jet, with his worried eyes, and grateful smile handing him that disgusting thing called "food…"

Instead, he had been in a sterilized room, alone. Women and men, who he had never met, fed him, changed his sheets then left as soon as their task was over.

Not having much to do, he was left with his thoughts. "I'm hungry" and "I need a smoke," came to him often, but not as much as thoughts of her.

Her short purplish hair…her red lips…her haunting green eyes. She was there with him, eating his food, chasing some bounty, warning him not to go…She was there singing softly, walking out of the bathroom after using up all the hot water…She was haunting his thoughts…

Months of torturous rehabilitation, and still, he couldn't forget her. It surprised and angered him. Why would he think of her? Out of all the people who had meant so much to him! He tried to remember Julia, but thoughts of Faye always resurfaced. He tried to remember everything before her…but she kept stubbornly pushing her way into his thoughts…she was always like that.

When it was time for him to leave the hospital, he thought of seeing her…But would that hurt her? He could always go to some other place. Once again, he was alive, and he could disappear into the mist…

"Sir?" A nurse who was working late at night came up to him. "You can wait until tomorrow to leave, you know."

"That's okay," Spike said. He didn't have the money to pay for the bill. It would be better just to slip out…

The nurse grinned up at him and returned to her post behind the desk. "Well, good luck, sir. You were lucky that someone brought you here or you would have died."

__

Someone brought me here? He had always suspected that an ambulance carried his carcass to the hospital. "Do you know who took me here?"

The nurse looked at a few sheets and shook her head. "I was here the day they brought you. He didn't leave his name or address."

"Can you describe him?"

"Well, yes, I guess. He had shoulder length white hair and--"

"Did he carry anything unusual?" Spike interrupted. _It couldn't be…_

"Well, he was carrying a sword. He looked pretty banged up too, sir. Almost like he was dead. We took care of hi--"

  
The nurses voice began to fade. _Why had Vicious wanted him alive?_

===

Spike sat by the television in the living room, reminiscing about those moments. He still had no idea why Vicious would keep him alive, or why he took Faye. All he knew was that he needed to get her back before Vicious hurt her.

===

Faye heard the call of sleep. It was intoxicating as it beckoned to her. She would have fallen into the depths if it weren't for the fact that Vicious was standing in front of her. She couldn't fall asleep knowing that he was there. 

She glanced up at Vicious. "What are you going to do to him if he comes."

Vicious' back was facing her. "You don't think he will?"

Faye didn't answer. She didn't want to admit that she doubted Spike would come after her.

Vicious turned toward her, a slight evil smile played across his face. "Well, then, Spike just needs a little incentive. He hit the record button on the camcorder and lunged at Faye. He pulled her head back until she looked up at him.

Faye felt fear surge through her. Out of all the things in the world, she did not want to get raped. She tried to twist her head away…

===

The television came on. 

Spike, who was half asleep, was instantly awake. He stared into the screen, and saw Faye. Her wide large eyes seemed freaked out by something…or someone. In the corner of the screen, Vicious darted toward her. He pulled her head back.

"If you don't come within three days, Spike, she dies."

He could see Faye trying to pull away as Vicious' head descended.

__

Faye…

It was a brutal kiss. Spike could see the fear in Faye's eyes, and was instantly angered. She was screaming, trying to get out of this punishment but she was tied. She was helpless…

Suddenly, Vicious broke the kiss and stared into the camera. "Don't worry, she'll be in one piece for three days. I won't even touch her again. After that, however…" Vicious let his voice die away. 

The transmission was cut, and Spike was once again left in the darkness.

=End Chapter=

Sorry if I ruined Spike. It's been awhile since I've seen CB so if anyone has any suggestions, please tell me how I can make him, Faye, Vicious, or Jet any better as far as characterization goes. Oh, and that kiss is dedicated to one of my reviewers, Sith. That kiss really worked out here. ^__^

Faking Life is another song title from Five Iron Frenzy.


	5. Season's Change

I don't own Cowboy Bebop

=Season's Change=

Spike couldn't handle it any longer. He couldn't wait for the damn ship to land in Mars. If he traveled by himself, he'd be there quicker, probably make it there in a couple of hours if he pushed himself.

Without further hesitation, he ran up to his room, looking for ammunition. Several hand guns were placed strategically about his body. Knives, just in case, were kept up his sleeve and one in his boot. He strapped on something he never thought he'd take with him. A medicine kit for Faye. He had to be prepared just in case something had already happened to her. 

__

Damn, Vicious. Why did he take Faye? Why did he keep me alive_? What's his game?_

As he walked out, he noticed the door to Faye's room was still open. It was as if she were still there. Didn't she disappear only a day or so ago? He could still smell her perfume in the air. His hand clinched into a fist. "She's going to be the end of me," he muttered.

===

Jet heard Spike's feet against the cold metal floor. It dashed from room to room, quickly and then it paused. Curious, Jet stuck his head out of his door and frowned. 

Spike was staring into her room.

Jet rubbed his beard in thought. This only meant one thing.

__

He's going after her.

===

He turned on his heel, ready to leave. All he needed was a ship.

He passed by Jet's room and stared at the shut door. He felt bad for leaving his friend behind without telling him, but…time was running out. Who knew what Vicious would do with Faye. It would be a long time till he came to help her if he stayed on the Bebop. 

But, Jet had been his friend for a long time. He deserved to know where he was going. 

Spike raised his hand to knock, then stopped. Jet also needed rest. Despite his appearance, Jet was old. He needed to relax for now…

Spike dropped his arm and headed for the docking bay.

He had almost forgotten that his ship would no longer be there. Not after this long…Jet had no reason to keep it let alone fix it.

"Leaving?"

Spike glanced to his side, not showing his surprise. He hid it in an easy going smirk and stared at Jet who was standing in the doorway of the docking bay. "Yea."

Jet returned the smirk with one of his own. "Good. I'll see you there, then."

Jet stepped back and let Spike through the door. Light flooded the room as Spike hit the switch. Before him stood a red ship, restored, repaired, and in good condition. "It looks like crap," he said to Jet.

"It looks like it always did," Jet muttered. The elder man tossed the keys to the younger one. "Hurry."

Spike took a few steps to his old ship then stopped. "Why? Why did you restore it?"

He heard Jet sigh. "I'd like to say because I knew you'd be back, but in reality, I didn't know. I'd also like to say it was all me, but it wasn't." Jet had walked nearly out of the room. He then turned around and said, "Faye wanted me to. She didn't say it, but I just knew she did…"

Spike nodded. "I'll see you later, then."

Spike was inside his ship. It felt like old times. He started the engine and glanced at Jet who was staring at him rather gravely.

===

Jet watched the fading light of Spike's ship for a while and remembered his friends words: _I'll see you later, then_. "I hope so," Jet said to the darkness.

===

Faye heard the door to the room open. She knew someone was with her, watching her, but her body was stubborn. It didn't feel like moving at all. So, she kept her head down and listened hard. She didn't want to find herself on the impaled end of Vicious' sword.

"I know you're conscious."

Vicious' voice was loud in her ears. He was probably standing a good 2 feet away from her.

Vicious bent low and whispered in her ear. "He's coming, you know that?"

Faye couldn't reply, although she wanted too. Just then, she heard some noise.

"I'm a very careful man, sometimes," Vicious said. "I don't want you to interfere with this fight, so in order to do that…" 

She felt something prick her upper arm. Hours of torture and this was how it was all ending? With a freaking needle?

"This will keep you in a temporary catatonic level. Sweet dreams, Faye." She heard the door open again and the swoosh of cloth. He was probably turning to look at her. "Sorry I can't stay long. I have to get ready for our _friend's_ arrival."

=End Chapter=

Sorry it's so short…_Season's Change_ is a song title from Trust Company.


	6. Too Good Too Bad

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I found out the hard way that with life comes change…

I don't own Cowboy Bebop.

=Too Good Too Bad=

The prick of the needle was cold. 

She could feel the fiery heat of the drug slowly work it's way through her system, flowing down her veins, closer to her heart. 

Silence engulfed her mind. 

She tried to move her arm, but it felt as if her head and body were no longer connected. It was pointless to even keep going…wasn't it?

Isn't it?

With no memory, she had lived life. Granted, it wasn't the glamorous life that most people wished for, but it was a life. 

With a huge bounty on her head, she had kept going. She had seen the sadness and the depression that life had brought thousands of people. She had lived on the streets doing the only things that she could for money or for a smoke.

With nothing or no one to depend on she never gave up. Was she going to now?

Her mind screamed yes! 

But…

Something didn't want her to. 

__

Is it hope?

===

Vicious finished cutting the last wires. His preparations were done. 

This was his end, the one that he wanted. With his adversary, he would plunge the sword into Spikes chest and then visit his own death. It was fitting that they would die in the place where he and Spike had first shed blood.

In the distance, he heard the soft sound of a ship approaching.

He could almost smell Spike. Smell the perspiration that would leak from his temples and drip against the cold ground. 

He shivered with anticipation. It would almost be time.

===

Spike landed his ship in front of an abandoned building just outside the city. Nothing seemed to move but everything seemed to tremble.

The building was an old warehouse owned by the syndicate…it was also the place where he and Vicious had done their first job as partners. The windows, large and luminous, were cracked and broken…most likely some punk children who enjoyed throwing rocks at things. The walls themselves seemed to cry out in pain, like they wanted to give up.

Spike got out of his ship and walked up to the building. He realized that this wasn't going to be easy. He smiled. Nothing worth fighting for, ever was.

The door he placed his hand on, shattered underneath his touch. Peeking through the opening, he saw the man with white hair sitting along a staircase and staring at him. Slowly, Vicious' frown morphed into a cocky smirk. 

"Ready?" Vicious asked.

"Always," Spike said. He withdrew his gun and began firing.

=End Chapter=

Too Good Too Bad is a song title from Cowboy Bebop's OST 1


	7. The Only Gift That I Need

I don't own Cowboy Bebop

=The Only Gift That I Need=

Faye heard the gun shots and stared blankly at her hands. _Spike's here…_

She didn't know what to feel. Had he actually come to save her? Or was he here because he had to finish Vicious off for good. 

__

Do I even matter?

More gun shots made her body quiver. It no longer mattered what his reasons were. She wanted to see him just one more time. She had to keep on fighting. She had to keep on living. This was the only way.

She could feel her hands move…slowly, but they were still moving. 

__

Think! Think Valentine! she screamed at herself. _How the heck can you get out of here?_

She looked around the room. There wasn't much to see. It was still shrouded in the darkness except for the soft light that hung above her head. 

She tried to remember as her head dropped back to her chest. It had gotten harder to keep on looking up…her head felt like it weighed a ton. _There was that table that Vicious used to prop the camera in front of me and there was that damn bag full of needles and medicine that he dropped on there._

__

Needles…

__

If I can get the needles, I could pick these locks.

She tried to move her body once again, but it didn't respond. The medicine had already taken it's full effect.

===

He ran across the hallway, grabbing his shoulder. He wasn't expecting the attack that Spike had in him. Bullets had pierced him twice on the shoulder and one on his leg. This was going to be fun.

He hid himself in the shadows of the building. He had lived there long enough to memorize every little smudge of the place. He could go around the building blind and still not be lost.

He heard his nemesis breathing somewhere close to him. "Spike," he called out. "You're slipping."

There were a few more gun shots, close by. They were just above his head. He felt the cold air of each bullet as they passed.

"Look who's talking."

Vicious had to smile at that comeback. It was true. Not fighting for the longest time had diminished his skill. But it no longer mattered. He didn't plan to live any longer.

Spike emerged from behind a few boxes. Blood was dribbling down his cheek and chest. He looked as beaten up as Vicious. Vicious slid out into the light as well.

They circled each other for a moment, each watching the other's eyes.

Finally, Spike broke the silence. "Why'd you want me to live?"

Vicious was taken aback but didn't show it. "I'm surprised you didn't figure it out for yourself."

He let his sword fall to his side and stopped moving. It was time. He had been waiting for this moment since Spike had died the first time.

===

Spike stared into Vicious eyes. They were the eyes of an insane man. He cleared his throat and dropped his gun into the holster. He had eight bullets altogether in two different guns.

He stuck both his hands in his pockets and slouched. "Why'd you want me to live?"

"I'm surprised you didn't figure it out for yourself," Vicious answered.

Spike stayed where he was. Thoughts sprouted in his head and he realized what was going on. He glanced to the entrance. 

The door was shut. Thin spirals of metal encircled the knob. His eyes followed the metal. There was wire entwined in everything. They seemed to grow out of the very warehouse itself.

They led to something high above his head and far below his feet. Spike sniffed the air. It smelled of gun powder.

Explosives.

If one of them died, the other one would as well. Whether it be by fight or by the explosion, both of them would die together.

He thought about that time where he was almost enveloped in the darkness…when he almost felt really free. He had almost died, but Vicious…Vicious was still alive…and that wouldn't do.

Spike grinned. "You're a sick man, Vicious."

Vicious raised his sword.

He swung it in a graceful arc above his head. The silver metal against the dark sky was almost mesmerizing.

Spike ducked underneath it and kicked. His foot landed against the hilt of the sword, stopping Vicious from completing the swing. Spike withdrew his hand from his pocket, and shot with one of his guns. One.

But Vicious had disappeared. Spike didn't know whether or not he had hit him.

There was a flash of silver by his eye. He ducked underneath the sword and shot. Two.

"Not fast enough, Spike," he heard Vicious whisper in his ear.

Spike just grinned.

He quickly hid behind a table and checked his ammunition. Six bullets in two guns. How the hell was he suppose to win?

Vicious flew out from the darkness, his trench coat billowing around his legs. He raised his sword above his head and slashed down.

Spike cried out in pain as he felt the cold metal slide into his skin.

=End Chapter=

__

The Only Gift That I Need is a song title by the Dashboard Confessional.


	8. Roulette

I don't own Cowboy Bebop. 

Warning: This episode is a little more blood descriptive than previous chapters…I think. You've been warned.

=Roulette=

Her eyes fluttered open. She was so damn tired. She had tried to move for the past…she didn't know.

She had heard gun fire. But now…Faye heard silence. It was what scared her the most. 

Decades ago…the day her life had changed…it was silent as the ship was torn apart from the flying debris of a satellite. She couldn't remember the scream of any of the passengers; she could only hear the sounds of nothing. That was how space was.

When Spike and Jet had captured her and locked her in that damn bathroom, she heard nothing. That was why she had to get out of there so bad. She hated the quiet.

Even when she was little, she hated silence. That's why she loved the beach so much. She could listen to the waves dance in the ocean. She could hear the soft singing of the birds that would stay there. She would hear the laughter of children or parents as they passed by her window.

But now she heard nothing.

And she couldn't do anything about it. Her body was like a boulder. It wouldn't move no matter how much she tried to push it.

__

Is Spike…?

She couldn't bring herself to even think that. She didn't want to…She couldn't…

She screamed her frustration. She wanted to move and get out of there. 

The bag--her freedom-- was only a few feet from her too! She struggled with herself. She tried to make herself just twitch.

__

Is there any point to this? Her mind cried out at her.

She moved her feet. 

__

Why do you even try? He's not here for you!

Faye swung her body to the side. The chair was slowly tipping over.

__

Forget it Valentine. He only has eyes for Julia.

The chair fell over. Her feet were so close to the table. She forced her legs to kick. Perspiration beaded at her brow, but still she tried with all her might. She glanced up and saw the needles teetering over the edge. She was close. She kicked again and the bag toppled over.

Faye shut her eyes as items crashed against the floor. Shards of glass flew at her face and she felt the new cuts, _but,_ she thought to herself, _it's a small price to pay._

Looking once again at the supplies, she was happy to find one of the needles next to her hand. She picked it up, easily, and began her work.

This is a new day. I'm no longer going to be that helpless girl…

===

The feel of the metal within his flesh was almost unbearable. He grabbed the blade and kept it in his skin. As long as he had this…He shot Vicious in the stomach at almost point blank range. Five more shots to go.

His opponent reeled back, kicking the gun out of Spikes hand as he let go of the sword handle. Vicious' hand clamped down against his stomach in reaction to the new pain. Spike watched as he took a few steps back. 

The katana dropped with a loud clang in the building but both men stood frozen on the floor. Nothing moved around them. Not their eyes, not there mouths, not there bodies.

They listened to each other's harsh breathing. It was heavy and short in the near deafening silence.

"Like old times." Vicious voice sounded severe. He grinned as he let go of his wound and let it bleed freely. Like waves, it lapped down his clothes and dripped on the floor in a puddle around his feet. Slowly it began to ooze toward Spike.

Spike kicked the katana toward Vicious. "Yup," he grunted. He could feel his own blood spill down his shoulder. It was warm and thick like honey.

He took out his other gun. There was no way he was going to find the old one in the darkness. That left him with two more bullets. He had to make these count.

Vicious grabbed his sword and submerged into the darkness.

Spike listened. He could hear the drip of his blood and that of Vicious'. It was a dead give away.

Turning around, he saw his nemesis dart toward him. He shot, but Vicious dodged easily. One more bullet.

===

Vicious slammed the sword against Spike. He could feel the metal vibrate in his hands. He looked up to see that Spike had blocked the sword with his gun.

He grinned and turned. His sword flew and hit. Spike's cry was unmistakable.

Vicious withdrew and plunged the sword within Spike's chest.

===

Vicious jumped back as Spike fired his last bullet. He missed.

"You missed," Vicious stated. His self satisfying smirk made Spike nearly gag. Nearly.

"Did I?"

Vicious heard the gun go off once again.

=End Chapter=

Roulette is a song title from System of a Down. Thanks for all the reviews. It makes me write faster. And another little warning, there are about two more chapters to go before this story ends. However, I don't know if I want a good ending or a bad ending…or a very evil ending. I have yet to decide. Give me some of your thoughts.

~LATZ~


	9. Every New Day Part I

I don't own Cowboy Bebop 

=Every New Day (part I)=

He stared out the window of the ship and saw the rubble on the ground. This was the exact location of where Spike and Faye were supposed to be. He glanced down worriedly, feeling his heart begin to pound faster in his chest. He pressed a few buttons and heard the soft moans of the ship as he landed it nearby.

Getting out of the seat, he raced down the halls, opened the hatch and jumped onto the ground.

The sun beat down against his bald head as he raised one arm to block the light. The sight that met his eyes was both disturbing and horrible. Nothing looked as if it survived. He started to kick a few pieces of debris around, exposing smears of blood. He could feel his heart stop in his chest. _No…_

He walked further, searching around the wasteland frantically.

Then, he found her. She sat with her back to him, on a fallen log. Her leg's were crossed, and she held a cigarette loosely in her mouth. The wind blew causing the thin strands of purple hair to caress her cheeks. She brushed her hair back with one shaky hand, glanced up at the man, and quickly looked away. The star she had been watching so carefully had blinked out.

"Jet," she said. Her voice had so much warmth in it that it made his heart lurch. She was alive and she was back. But…

"Where's Spike?" he asked.

Faye shrugged her slender shoulders. She took the cigarette from her lips and flipped it into the wreckage. "I haven't seen the lunkhead…"

Jet sighed. She was lying. "What happened?" he tried again.

Faye's eyes became watery and distant. A thoughtful look came across her face as she slowly stood and patted the dirt from her bottom. "Jet," she said as she looked past him to the Bebop, "I'm tired. Do you think I can go to sleep for a little bit?"

Jet rubbed the top of his head in confusion. Finally he shrugged and said, "Of course."

===

She sat in her room rubbing her hair dry. She had cleaned herself as best as she could and had changed into her pajamas. It was hard to wipe the blood from her skin. For some odd reason, she wanted to keep it there as a reminder. She shut her eyes, the memory still burning underneath her eye lids.

She could feel the gun burning in her grasp. The retraction and the pain…it was so fresh in her mind.

Jet knocked on the door and entered. He had a tray full of what appeared to be food. He set it in front of Faye to eat. "I want you to finish that."

Faye made a face but did as she was told. Picking up the spork, she let it hover in the air near her mouth before she set it back down. Finally, she said, "It happened so fast."

Jet was silent. He didn't want to show her that he was thirsty for this information.

She lay in her bed--the "food" forgotten--and shut her eyes. She might as well bring those memories back to the surface… She had to get it off her chest.

===

Faye had fallen from the chair. The chains around her wrists were no more. She staggered to a sitting position, and collected her thoughts. She could run out of here…but first… "Spike," she whispered.

She stood up. Her body still felt sluggish from the drug. Slowly, she made her way to the door.

Her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Down a flight of stairs, she could see Vicious and Spike standing close to one another. Vicious stepped back, and Faye could see the blood on the sword.

Spike's blood.

She kept herself from reacting quickly. She wasn't going to act like a fool now. She had to be careful. She crept down the stairs wishing that she had her gun.

They were talking, that much she could tell. Suddenly, Spike fired. Reacting, she ducked quickly and landed face first into a hard metal object. _What the heck is this?!_ She picked up the object and realized it was a gun…_How?_

She picked it up--it was heavy in her hands--and she snuck up to Vicious and Spike. She was close…very close.

She caught Spike's mismatched eyes on her. It was only for a fraction of a second, but she knew he had seen her.

Spike aimed.

What's he doing? Faye saw that his gun was aimed no where near Vicious. Spike fired and Vicious grinned.

"You missed."

Spike glanced at Faye again. "Did I?"

Faye crawled up to Vicious back and fired. The bullet erupted from the front of his chest and he fell in agony. Faye almost dropped the gun. It's retraction burned at her achy bones and sluggish muscles.

Faye shot him again and again until all she heard was the click of the gun. She felt Spike's hands encircle her wrists and pull the gun from her hands. 

"It's done," he whispered into her ear. Faye shivered violently as his voice invaded her. She could no longer stand and fell to the floor. Spike knelt beside her and pulled out the medicine kit he had strapped to his belt. He began to attend to her wounds.

Faye saw the gash in Spike's chest. Wordlessly, she searched in the kit for more bandages and slowly applied pressure to his wound. She could feel the wetness of the blood seep through the bandages. She waited until the bleeding stopped before she turned to look into his eyes.

"You're a lousy shot." Faye said softly.

Spike frowned. "Are you kidding? I was aiming for those damn wires. He was going to blow up this place."

"Liar," Faye replied. She could feel his heartbeat under her finger tips. It made her uneasy. She took her hands away and fumbled to find more words to say.

Spike was just finishing wrapping a cut on her leg, when he reacted. He cocked his head up as if he heard something off in the distance.

"What is it?"

He covered her mouth in his hand. "Shh!" 

He stood up, grabbing Faye's hand, and dragged her to the door. Faye looked back, wondering what Spike had heard. She saw the small smirk over Vicious' face and the small detonator in his hands. "You _did_ miss, Spike…" Vicious whispered hoarsely.

They heard the explosion. Spike pushed Faye in front of him as glass shards began to fall from the sky. He took off his jacket and threw it around Faye. "Keep running, you slow woman!"

===

"That doesn't explain it. Where is he, then?" Jet asked.

Faye moved her arm about two inches above her face and peeked at Jet. He could see the tears falling freely down her face.

===

Spike stumbled on a piece of rubble. He fell with a large thud and Faye turned. "Just keep going!"

"NO!" Faye screamed. She wrapped her arms around his waist and helped him up. They continued to run toward the door. 

They were so close but far too late. The ceiling cried out and was about to give way when she felt Spike shove her out the door. 

Faye twisted around and watched in horror as the building collapsed.

===

She turned in her bed as Jet left her to herself. This was the second time she couldn't stop him from dying. 

If only…if only…if only what? I couldn't save him twice! I'm still weak…

__

I'm useless…

She let her eyes flutter shut.

===

Jet looked through the rubble, but it was no use. There was no evidence of Spike anywhere let alone Vicious. He sighed and hung his head. His hand covered his tired eyes as he went back into the Bebop. 

This day was done.

=End Chapter=

Every New Day is a song title from Five Iron Frenzy.

Not my best, but oh well. Anyway, sorry for the eternity it took to get this chapter up. Finals are a pain. 

Again, thanks to all the people who reviewed. The next chapter will be the last of Every New Day. So hang in there. But since there was a split vote between happy ending and evil ending, I have no clue which it should be…Is there a way to do two?


	10. END Part IIA

I don't own Cowboy Bebop.

Sorry for the long wait (summer school had me in it's death grip). Anyway, this is the **EVIL ENDING!** If you don't want to read the **EVIL ENDING!**then please go to the next chapter.

=Every New Day (Part IIA)=

--Clear the area!

Light after light. She stared at the sources that hung in rows above her head. Every other moment, they would flash by her, sneer at her with their phosphorescent glare. She wanted to wince at their direction, to scoff, but she didn't have enough breath to do it. 

__

--Damn it, she's not breathing!

Breathing? A white coat flashed before her eyes and within minutes, she felt someone's breath invade her mouth. She wanted to wrinkle her nose at the hint of cheese like substance in the someone's breath, but found she couldn't.

__

--Get her into that room quickly! 

--There's someone already in there.

--It doesn't matter. They're still unconscious.

People flashed over her face. Several faces that she didn't recognize stared passively at her.

Machines were hooked up around her and to her body. The soft study beat of one, kept ringing in her ears, making sure that she was still alive. She tried to look up at the monitor, but found it difficult. It was as if her body didn't want to move. What was she doing?

__

--Do you know what happened to her?

Answers!

--I don't know. 

Crap.

==2:00 in the morning, docked in a bay in Mars==

"Spike." She murmured in her sleep. 

Jet stood outside the doorway to her room. Two long weeks of suffering! She spent most of her days in her room, in bed and staring at nothing. At night, he could hear her crying out his name, as if she relived the moment over and over. 

When she did come out of her room, she looked like crap. Her hair, which hadn't seen the likes of a brush in weeks, was a tangled mass above her head. Her eyes, red and bloodshot, had bags under them that showed her lack of sleep. Her mouth, was always down turned…always unhappy. She would wander the Bebop in her robe and sometimes, when she thought he wasn't looking, slip into Spike's room, where she would fall asleep. 

Her strength, he realized, had left her.

Reaching into the room, he switched off the light. "Night, Faye."

=2:39 AM=

"Spike!"

She realized what he had done. _Why?!_

She turned around and stared at the skeleton of the building--it was the only thing left. Pieces of debris were scattered along the ground. Faye ran up to the building and began shoving off each piece, but found nothing. 

"Spike!" she cried as she kicked up dust. She ventured further into the wreckage, her hands getting cut up and blood dripped down her finger tips, hitting the ground with a thud. She stopped instantly, hearing the thud echo inside her mind.

Again, it sounded and she turned around. It began to get louder as she walked, and more constant like the sound of a heart beat. Then, as she was about to walk past a tree stump, the sound stopped. It was so nerve racking, not being able to listen to anything. 

Stopping in her tracks, she saw it. There was a mangled hand, sticking out from under a beam. She forced herself to walk toward it and lift it up.

She couldn't scream. It was all she wanted to do, but she just couldn't. She bent over the form, crushed under the weight of the beams. It's face was twisted in pain and it's eyes were falling from the sockets. Faye tentatively touched the cheek. It was cold and slippery, as if it were shedding tears. "No…"

As she drew back, the mangled form's hand shot out and grabbed her. "Useless woman," it whispered.

=2:48 AM=

Faye jumped out of bed and threw her sheets aside. _What the--?_

She was breathing heavily and she couldn't stop shaking. Anger replaced her normal solemn attitude and she began throwing anything that she could touch. Clocks, shoes, clothes, pillows, they all flew about her room as she cursed and cried. 

She was alive and Spike was dead. What was the point? She could still feel his hands shove her outside the door. His hands…they were so rough, so strong. "Damn it!"

Finally, she collapsed into a fit of sobs, hating herself for crying, and hating herself for not mourning even more.

She stood and stumbled down the hallway to Jet's office. She saw him working intently on one of his beloved trees. She watched him for a moment, seeing the tired, warn out eyes. She bit her lip and said, "I'm sorry, Jet. I'm just going out for a walk."

Jet nodded, thinking why she didn't say her usual, "I'll be back," and knowing why she left it out.

She didn't wait for him to reply. She staggered down the remaining hallway and left the Bebop. 

The night air was cool against her hot skin. She glanced down several streets, picked one, and began to walk. She was oblivious to the soft splatter of water against her bare arms as she walked unseeingly down her path.

The past came back to haunt her. She didn't want to remember, but when she tried to suppress one memory, another would take it's place. By the time she broke out of her reverie, it was pouring outside. _Just my luck,_ she thought sourly. 

She searched for some sort of shelter and saw a neon sign flashing on a small building._ Existence, _said the sign. Faye glared around the whole street. _Existence _appeared to be the only thing open.

She entered, soaked, and looked around. It was a bar, that much she could tell. A few people were scattered about the room, chatting and arguing and a band was playing some twentieth century song that she had heard once or twice as a child.

She felt the alcohol call her name and was immediately picking a seat at the bar. She sat down and caught the bartender's attention.

"What's your poison?"

It took all of her will power not to roll her eyes at that cliché. "Something with high alcohol content," she murmured.

The bartender nodded and went in search of the perfect drink. She sat quietly for a moment and let the band's music fill her emptiness.

Faye frowned as the bartender tossed her a clear liquid. She picked up the glass and took a shot. It burned down her throat and made her splutter and cough. She held the empty glass to the bartender. "Another one."

It wasn't long before she could feel the affects of alcohol perverting her system. She began to babble incoherent words. 

"It sucks," she began as the bartender poured her more of the clear liquid.

"What does," a stranger, who had walked up to the bar as she talked, asked. He took a sip of his drink and stared at Faye. His nose twitched at the smell of liquor in her mouth.

"Life and everything in it. What's the point to living from day to day if we're all fated to die?" Faye shook her head and felt her eyes burn.

"There's more to life then death," the bartender replied as he poured a drink for the stranger.

"Not much more," said Faye.

"Do you really believe that?" the stranger asked.

Faye shrugged and took another shot. "Maybe," she replied. She turned to the bartender. "More, and keep it coming."

The stranger watched her. "You've had enough."

Faye glanced at the stranger beneath her lashes. Her eyebrows drew down creating harsh shadows on her face. "And who are you to judge?"

"Does it really matter?" The stranger turned his head away and plopped his hat on his head. "Look, go back home, kid. I'm sure someone there misses you."

The stranger turned and left her by herself. Faye dropped the glass in her hand. _Spike_? She turned and ran out into the rain, after the stranger. Tripping on loose gravel, her arms flailed out and grabbed the man on the sleeve. He turned around, the wind whipping his hat off of his head. 

For a moment, they stared at each other. His eyebrow quirked up in question. "Yes?" he asked, his black hair falling below his blue eyes.

Faye took a few steps back. "N--nothing," she stammered. She took a few steps back and turned away.

__

Crap! Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP! I can't stop thinking about him! Faye grabbed her head, shaking in anger as she turned another corner.

And, as if fate had brought her there, she stood in front of her answer. She touched the window of the store, staring at a thief who was holding up another man. Reaching for her gun, she frowned and staggered into the store. She needed more alcohol.

=5:00AM=

  
Jet heard a sharp ring pierce through the quietness. He jumped up, grabbing the phone and hoping that it was Faye. It wasn't.

"The hell?" Jet murmured as he stared into the video linked phone.

"Are you associated with Faye Valentine?"

=6:35 AM=

"--been drinking. The alcohol and all the bullets that the man shot into her body affected her really bad. It also seems like she doesn't want to live anymore."

Jet nodded, listening to the doctor carefully. "Well, what can you do to save her?"

The doctor sighed and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. "Nothing. It's all up to her."

=7:19 AM=

The hum of the machine was what woke her up. She shifted slightly in her bed, wondering what was going on. She felt pain tear at her from her stomach and arm. Something? Something important happened yesterday…she just couldn't remembmer. She sighed, letting the feel of sleep consume her once more.

=7:30AM=

"Wake up…"

Faye heard the voice softly in her ears. It was gentle like a soft breeze…almost fatherly. It felt like Jet's voice…

"Wake up."

She wanted to shake her head. She wanted to crawl back into her sleep. She didn't want to feel anything anymore. Everything…it all had to be a dream! She wanted to be back in her large bedroom, listening to the waves hitting the shore or with Spike. Without him... She wanted to be…She wanted to be…

"Wake up."

She wanted to be dead.

The beat of the machine slowed until it was just a long hum. Flat line.

Doctors came into the room, spreading around her body. Jet watched in horror as people tried to perform a miracle. 

=8:28 AM=

Jet stared at the dead body of Faye Valentine as the last of the doctors left. He came to the foot of the bed, touching her still warm shoulder, and whispered something softly. 

"Could you keep it down in there?" came a low drawl that burst through Jet's words.

Jet, angry, glared at the person behind the curtain next to Faye's bed. "Listen, jack hole--" he shoved open the curtain and stared into a pair of mismatched, rusty, brown eyes…

=End Chapter=

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this story. Your reviews made me keep going and writing as well as enjoy writing. I hope that this ending was evil enough for all those who cared/wanted the evil ending and I made it long to make up for my MIA for so long.


	11. END Part IIB

I don't own Cowboy Bebop

I'm sorry it took me forever to update the last installment of EVERY NEW DAY, but summer freakin' school had me in it's death grip. Anyway, enjoy the happier ending of this tale.

=Every New Day Part IIB=

__

"Spike." She murmured in her sleep. 

Jet stood outside the doorway to her room. Two long weeks of suffering! She spent most of her days in her room, in bed and staring at nothing. At night, he could hear her crying out his name, as if she relived the moment over and over. 

When she did come out of her room, she looked like crap. Her hair, which hadn't seen the likes of a brush in weeks, was a tangled mass above her head. Her eyes, red and bloodshot, had bags under them that showed her lack of sleep. Her mouth, was always down turned…always unhappy. She would wander the Bebop in her robe and sometimes, when she thought he wasn't looking, slip into Spike's room, where she would fall asleep. 

Her strength, he realized, had left her.

Reaching into the room, he switched off the light. "Night, Faye."

===

She walked down the aisle toward her room and saw that Spike's door was wide open. She poked her head inside and noticed the bed, still unmade, in the corner of the room.

She had tried so desperately to forget _him_ but it was harder than she thought.

He had been her one true annoyance, her rival, her love. 

He had…left her alone…alone in a corridor as tears burned down her face, alone as she sat on a tree stump and stared into rubble. Alone as the wind softly carried her tears away.

She walked into the room and passed her hand along the edges of the sheets. She had known him such a short time but he had managed to make her feel so much. He always seemed to spark the oddest feelings within her. Anger, hate, pain, worry, happiness…

Faye got into the bed. She tucked one arm underneath her head and stared at the ceiling. 

She just couldn't stop remembering. It tore at her. 

She shut her eyes and breathed in his essence. She felt like an idiot for doing this, but as long as no one noticed…

She felt a harsh breath at the back of her neck. It made her tingle and her eyes darted open. She tried not to blush as she whipped her head around and stared at…Spike? He grinned at her, his arms encircling her waist. He half grinned half frowned at her. "What are you doing in my bed?"

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. She could feel the slight movement against her back. It felt nice. He lay back into his bed, pulling Faye next to him. "The same reason you're here."

Faye bit her lip. She let her head fall against Spike's shoulder. She shut her eyes feeling the hot stinging wetness in her eyes.

"You want to escape reality," Spike murmured into Faye's ear.

===

She was breathing heavily and she couldn't stop shaking. Anger replaced her normal solemn attitude and she began throwing anything that she could touch. Clocks, shoes, clothes, pillows, they all flew about her room as she cursed and cried. 

She was alive and Spike was dead. What was the point? She could still feel his hands shove her outside the door. His hands…they were so rough, so strong. "Damn it!"

Finally, she collapsed into a fit of sobs, hating herself for crying, and hating herself for not mourning even more.

Faye stood and got dressed. She then stumbled down the hallway to Jet's office. She saw him working intently on one of his beloved trees. She watched him for a moment, seeing the tired, warn out eyes. She bit her lip and said, "I'm sorry, Jet. I'm just going out for a walk."

Jet nodded, thinking why she didn't say her usual, "I'll be back," and knowing why she left it out.

She didn't wait for him to reply. She staggered down the remaining hallway and left the Bebop. 

She glanced down several streets, picked one, and began to walk. She was oblivious to the soft splatter of water against her bare arms as she walked unseeingly down her path.

The past came back to haunt her. She didn't want to remember, but when she tried to suppress one memory, another would take it's place. By the time she broke out of her reverie, it was pouring outside. _Just my luck,_ she thought sourly. 

She searched for some sort of shelter and saw a neon sign flashing on a small building._ Existence, _said the sign. Faye glared around the whole street. _ Existence _appeared to be the only thing open.

She entered, soaked, and looked around. It was a bar, that much she could tell. A few people were scattered about the room, chatting and arguing and a band was playing some twentieth century song that she had heard once or twice as a child.

She felt the alcohol call her name and was immediately picking a seat at the bar. She sat down and caught the bartender's attention.

"What's your poison?"

  
It took all of her will power not to roll her eyes at that cliché. "Something with high alcohol content," she murmured.

The bartender nodded and went in search of the perfect drink. She sat quietly for a moment and let the band's music fill her emptiness.

"_When I was young_

The smallest trick of light

Would catch my eye 

And life was new 

And Every New Day

I thought that I could fly…"

Faye frowned as the bartender tossed her a clear liquid. She picked up the glass and took a shot. It burned down her throat and made her splutter and cough. She held the empty glass to the bartender. "Another one."

__

"I believed in what I hoped for

And I hoped in things unseen.

I had dreams and wings could soar

I just don't feel like flying anymore…"

It wasn't long before she could feel the affects of alcohol perverting her system. She began to babble incoherent words to the stranger, who wore a trench coat and a ratty hat, she sat next to. 

"It sucks," she began as the bartender poured her more of the clear liquid.

"What does," the stranger asked. He took a sip of his drink and stared at the woman. His nose twitched at the smell of liquor in her mouth.

"Life and everything in it. What's the point to living from day to day if we're all fated to die?" Faye shook her head and felt her eyes burn.

"There's more to life then death," the stranger replied as he watched to women.

"_When the stars threw down their spears_

Watered Heaven with their tears

Before words were spoken

Before eternity…"

"Not much more," Faye murmured as she placed the glass back down on the counter. 

The stranger stared at her thoughtfully as she raised her hand to order more of the drinks. "You've had enough, kid. Maybe you should stop?"

Faye glanced at the stranger beneath her lashes. She felt tired, woozy almost as her vision began to get blurry. "Who are you? My keeper? Mind your own business," she said as her words began to slur.

She didn't feel like drinking anymore…a feet unto itself. She didn't feel like doing much of anything anymore. She just wanted to…She just wanted to…She just wanted to…

Die.

She collapsed into an unconscious heap before she knew it. Her head flew down, almost as slowly as that of a snowflake as it descends form the sky. Her mane of purple hair, flew about her, creating a sort of mask to cover the pain that flashed unto her face. 

"_Dear Father, I need you_

Your strength my heart to mend, 

I want to fly higher

Every New Day again…"

===

When she awoke, a red sheet was gripping her shoulders. She let her eyes flutter open, only to see that she was back in her dream world, in his bed, lying in the crumpled sheets. He sat at the edge of the mattress, his back to her. He pulled the cigarette from his lips and placed it over a nearby tray, slowly shaking out the ashes.

"You're awake?"

"Not really," Faye muttered.

She sat up, drawing the sheets around her body. She felt cold, suddenly, and briefly wondered why.

"Faye, what are you doing to yourself?"

He still hadn't turned around. She stared at his fuzzy green head, as it tilted slightly. He looked over his shoulder, his rusty brown eyes drawing her green ones to his face. Suddenly, he looked away.

"Why would you care? You're gone," Faye answered, scooting away from him. She felt like running, but couldn't do it. She was finally near him, and this is where she wanted to be, right?

"Not entirely, Faye." He had turned to look at her, crawling over the bed until he was right beside her.

His hand touched her face, sliding against her cold cheek and pulling her closer to his lips. His bottom lip brushed against her top one. Faye shut her eyes, feeling the warmth of his breathe on her skin. How she had waited for this moment…but…

"You're not real…." Faye murmured as she pulled away. "It's all a dream…."

===

"She's waking up"

The words startled her, and her eyes flew open. Green eyes stared wildly around the room, vaguely remembering where she had seen this place.

Two people…there were two other people in the room. She could only make out the shadow of one, and the other… 

"You're home. Back on the Bebop," came a gruff voice.

"Jet?" Faye asked as she turned around. He sat on a chair next to her bed, his eyes looking as if he hadn't slept in ages.

"You know how to make a guy age 50 years," he said as he ran his hand over his shiny scalp. He stood up, moving the chair away from the bed. He straightened his clothes and crossed his arms.

"A specialty of mine, I assure you." Faye leaned back into her bed. The sun's rays were just peeking into her room. "What happened?" she asked as she stared out the window.

"You passed out."

"But why--"

Jet shook his head. "You're hungry," he stated as he turned to leave. "I'll make you something _good_."

The stranger stared at Jet and half grinned. "Is it some of that slop you fed me earlier?" He tilted his hat to the elder man as he huffed out of Faye's room.

The stranger turned his head slightly and stared at her for a second. He wondered what she was thinking. She looked almost angelic, with the light shining down on her pale, skin. Her eyes, which we're staring at nothing in particular, were glassy as if she were in deep thought. "You shouldn't drink so much," he said, breaking into her thoughts. He was almost sad that he had to destroy that image. _Almost._

Faye's eyebrows turned down quickly as her head shifted to his direction. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The man in the hat shrugged and sat the edge of the bed. Faye didn't know what about him made her hate him, but she did…well not hate. Just despise immensely. She started to kick at his bottom with her foot. "Get off," she growled.

He stretched and looked as if he were about to go to sleep in it.

"What the hell are you doing!" She sprang from her mattress and shoved him off.

He smirked as he stood up, only to walk to the side of her bed. He liked annoying this woman. "You should be asleep, shouldn't you?"

Faye bit her lip. She had to admit this to herself. "I've been sleeping way too much," she whispered as she looked down. _I've been trying to escape reality by falling into that dream world…by running…but today, it's a new day. I have to live because every day, is a new day…_The sun's rays were now hitting the side of her bed, much to her annoyance.

Before she knew it, she felt the mattress depress. The man was behind her, laying beside her with his arms around her waist. His hat and trench coat had been dumped on the chair that Jet had pushed back not too long ago. He leaned his head against her back and whispered, "It's been a while, Faye Valentine."

Faye shivered, feeling his hair brush against the back of her neck. She shut her eyes for a second. He smelled like…

Her eyes flew open. She turned her head slightly, meeting his rusty brown eyes that were different in colors…

He looked like….

He grinned his lopsided grin at her.

He was…

=End=

Ahhh! It's over! OVER! No more! I had a hard time writing the ending for the happy one, because…I can't write romance no matter what! It all comes out like crap, which I'm pretty sure this one did as well. I kept re-writing this over and over, wondering how it should end…it still feels unfinished, but…whatever.

Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who kept up with this story, who kept reading, reviewing, and cared about it as much as I did. You guys are the inspiration!

Well, nothing left to say except, See you Space Cowboy!


End file.
